From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Nov. 23, 1911:

“LAWRENCE WANTS THE ROAD HERE. — The Meeting on Monday Night Will Show How Generally This is True. THIS IS A NATIONAL ROUTE. The Great Overland Highway Was Just South of This City. Nearer Here Than Any Other Town That is Mentioned. — Of course Lawrence wants the across the continent highway. This is the national route. While it is true that the old Santa Fe trail ran several miles south of here it is nearer Lawrence than to Ottawa; the old trail ran just north of Baldwin. Furthermore the California road ran right through Lawrence. It was along Pinckney [currently Sixth] street and it runs directly west of the town…. In the early time when the ’49ers were going to California they always went through Lawrence. There is to be a meeting held next Monday night to discuss this matter and to take steps to have the road run through here. Most of our people do not seem to know that the towns in the state are after this road hot and heavy. In fact they are wide awake and if we get it at all it will be only after a hard contest…. It is of the greatest importance that Lawrence go to work early. The meeting will be one that ought to be attended by as many as can get in the auditorium of the Merchants Association. Twenty Topeka people have promised to come down and help get the thing started and all the commercial bodies as well as the citizens generally ought to be alert from this time forward.”